Author's Note: This chapter was so long that I split it into six parts. A total of 22 thousand words was written.
Part Two
Sarai chuckled, hearing them despite their distance. Another roar of thunder sounded, triggering the young woman to get serious and start the expedition before it became too late, "Alright. We're taking the Bifrost! If we do this on foot, it'd be far too late. Once we enter the jungle, leave everything you've known behind. Animals are not accustomed to mannerisms or mercy like you and I are. Be on your guard, but do NOT attack any of the creatures, no matter how much they may frighten or provoke you. If you attack, you will cause an uproar. Literally." With the warning given, Sarai took charge. She led the group out of the palace as they all rushed through the city and practically sprinted across the rainbow bridge that connected the Asgardian City to the observatory. When they reached Heimdall no more than 20 minutes later, Sarai allowed the men to catch their breath as she told the gatekeeper the situation at hand and requested for him to transport them to Kakari.
"I will open the Bifrost for you, Prince Loki and Lady Sarai. Be careful and return home with the children." Heimdall seemed a little worried, but he knew not to be in the way of important missions, especially regarding the safety of Asgard's heirs! So he promptly opened the Bifrost and sent them into the deep parts of the Kakarian Jungles, where it's nothing but luscious green grass, trees, the unforgiving sweltering heat, and, of course, some small yet harmless wolf cubs wandering about.
Kakari, The Jungle
"Good. Now. Knowing the children...I believe they have heard me tell a tale or two about my time with my ape family," Sarai muttered to herself, not realizing she could be heard by the rest, "So if I'm not mistaken...they most likely would have gone to the West into Ape territory." To better confirm this, Sarai bent down to see if there were any footprints or debris left from any 'two feet' individuals, the name she had used to refer to bipeds in her youth. So far, the ground presented no obvious signs of the children, but after looking ahead, she could see footprints remaining. 'Interesting...' she thought to herself, walking over to the tracks to examine them more closely.
Loki walked closer to his friend. "What's going on, Sarai?" He asked, raising his eyebrow at the tracks that she was examining. The soldiers raised their accouterments and gathered in a circle around Prince Loki and Lady Royal Sarai after hearing something shift within the bushes. They prepared for the worst but remained in a defensive position rather than an offensive. The soldiers took Sarai's warning to heart. While Loki and Sarai were examining the tracks together, the soldiers were in for a surprise within the next minute if they didn't lower their arms. From inside a couple of higher trees and the ground-level bushes, a group of baboons was startled by the sight of these strangers just stomping around on their turf. If the group didn't get out of the way, the baboons would then let out a warning screech and charge at the people without hesitation.
"The tracks seem to be steady here," Sarai answered Loki, "But then after a few steps forward, there's a bunch of other tracks. They seem to be going around all over the place..." She carefully followed the prints up until they walked to a turning point. Footprints of all sorts suddenly made a sharp right turn instead of left, where Gorilla territory lay. These tracks were headed right into Leopard territory. "....The Leopards...they must have breached their grounds to hunt for more food. The children were in the way—but as far as I can tell, they have yet to be killed. They are alive. I know it." Letting out a sigh, Sarai was about to lend a suggestion to Loki, but before she could, the baboon screeching commenced. The sudden noise poised Sarai to yell at everyone to hide in the tall grass or climb up the trees. She was still fluent in animal linguistics, so talking to the leader was going to be the best option for now.
The largest of the baboon colony dropped down before the group of city folk and pounded his fists to the ground. He huffed, glaring at the ape girl. The relatively large baboon screeched in his native language, but only Sarai could understand it as, "Why have you come here, Trespasser?" The soldiers seemed rather curious but very frightened at the moment. They huddled around themselves and Prince Loki.
"Tell your allies to lower their weapons, or I will be forced to attack. This place is our territory, and we do not like strangers." Although he protested, he was familiar with Sarai.
"Erm, Sarai, What is he saying?" Loki tapped Sarai's shoulder, staring into the eyes of the baboon.
"He's saying for the soldiers to lower their weapons," Sarai told Loki in a very grave tone of voice before she had no choice but to converse with the angry baboon leader. She wasn't sure if he would recognize her, especially with how royal she looked, so Sarai let down her long brunette hair entirely and ripped off the dress to the grass next to her, revealing the way she was known as Zaika. Sarai was no stranger in these lands, so in hopes of the baboon recognizing her now, tensions may ease. {"We are passing by your territory. We come with no ill intentions,"} she started screeching in response to the baboon leader, although it was less screeching and more chirping & high pitch grunting, {"What do you know of the Leopards? Have they passed by here not long ago? We are looking for two-foot younglings."}
Loki then ordered all of the troops to stand down. "Stand down! We must show we mean no harm to them." They listened and lowered their artillery. In respect, each soldier placed their equipment on the ground and backed away. Loki approached the baboon leader and Sarai. "Please, my children are young. They will not survive the storm if we do not find them." He pleaded, hoping Sarai could translate for him and that the baboon leader would see reason. He conjured up an illusionary image of his children and their companions who had joined them. "They appear this way and may have run through here with three others. You must understand what it means to protect your family; you threaten us for that very reason. I swear to you, we mean you and your people no harm."
The baboon leader took a better look at Sarai and realized that she was the young woman who played with him when he was just a baby baboon. Of all the animals except elephants and the Great Beast, the baboons tend to live longer, though the curse of their longevity is forgetfulness. The baboon hooted joyfully. "Zaika! Zaika!" Without warning, he hugged Sarai.
"OOF!!" Sarai was instantly attack-hugged by the baboon leader, but she quickly returned the favor and did what any other happy baboon would do at this moment. Luckily for her, she remembered how most primates expressed gratitude and excitement. So she pounded the ground quickly with her knuckles while screeching along with the leader just before Loki's plea sunk in for Sarai and the baboons. {"You saw what my two feet friend had shown you. If you know where the small two feet are, please lead the way."} Sarai said to the leader, hoping that at least one baboon around here would know which way the royal children went. Panther Territory or Gorilla Territory?
"Uh, y-your highness...?" One of the guards tried to speak to Loki, "Are you sure we can really trust Lady Sarai at this point? I mean...what if she gets so caught up in the moment that she reverts to her feral self and tries attacking us?"
Loki's head darted toward the soldier with an expression that clearly stated he would not accept this sort of talk. "Her roots make her remarkable. She will lead us to my children. You must not speak of her in that way. She is my Wife's Lady Royal, and her "feral ways" have just saved all of our lives." He gestured to the group.
The baboon leader nodded solemnly to Sarai. He explained that the children had gone toward the gorilla territory but were chased from the trail by Leopards. "They are in danger if they do not find shelter soon."
{"Gorilla Territory! We will make our way there first, then!"} Sarai understood the updated situation now as she motioned for the soldiers to start moving again and step lightly. With time still on their side, Sarai knew that the group would have to hasten the pace if they were going to get to the Gorilla Territory on time. Part of her even wondered if she'd see the same family that raised her since the gorillas, much like the baboons, shared long lifespans. Bidding the baboon leader farewell, Sarai rises again on her two feet, which gives everyone following her the chance to see what her apparel really looks like.
Her body still maintained that toned, muscular, yet slim figure—especially with her legs and arms remaining as defined as they were in her youth. "First stop is the Gorilla Territory. Follow the trail to the left-hand side, and do not leave it. We should be there before the hour is over, " she informed her group as she started to rush ahead and climb from tree to tree so she could get better navigation.
Each man nodded to Sarai and then picked up their weapons. They each maneuvered past the group of baboons and started to walk along the trail. Loki remained. He set his hand against the left side of his chest and respectfully bowed to the baboon leader. Hoping his translation spell works, he speaks to the leader.
"Thank you for your help; I will be in debt to you."
The baboon leader responded by lowering his head respectfully. "Thank you for honoring our wishes this day. I understand what your little two feet mean to you." As he said this, two little baboons peep up from behind the leader's shoulders. They nod to each other, and Loki leaves to join the soldiers up ahead. He reaches the front of the group and takes note of the scattered footprints on the ground. One pair of human tracks and the other, possibly leopard, lead to the gorilla territory, and four more human tracks lead away. He could only assume that the children were split up as they were chased.
As the group continued making their way towards Gorilla territory, Sarai kept an eye on the looming black clouds that were now starting to slow down thanks to the mountains bordering the two regions. With the slowing of the clouds, Sarai could relax slightly, knowing she and Loki would have just gained a little more time to locate and retrieve the children before the storm eventually speeds up again. The trek took about an additional 45 minutes, and the soldiers were growing resentful now of the mission. One of them even tried to stall the journey by telling Sarai that they were getting bored of just walking around in the jungle, but she was not going to put up with it. Eventually, the group had found one of the many ape families in the territory, and Sarai was first to take one step forward toward one of the smaller gorillas holding Adari in its arms as if comforting him.
The Gorilla Territory
"Adari!" Sarai called for the boy, "We are here! Are you alright?"
The young prince shifted in the arms of the gorilla, yet the other would not release him. Instead, to aid in the lad's protection, other gorillas jumped down around the soldiers and began snarling. "U-uhm-! I am alright! These kind gorillas chased off the leopard that was hunting me! But, um... she will not let go." He tried to stand up, but this only prompted the female gorilla to hold onto him tighter.
The two-foot boy reminded the gorilla of her two-foot sister. Hooting softly, she laid Adari down in the nest. Ayah then turned to face the group and snarled. As she got closer to the group, she picked up a familiar scent. Like the other animals who matched the Gorilla's longevity, loss of memory was a curse. Gorillas, however, can place memories with scents. The gorilla hooted at the others, telling them to back away. {"Can it be? You smell of Zaika. Like this boy. Do you know where she is?"}
At first, Sarai was a little startled that Ayah would snarl and become hostile toward the group behind her. Clearly, the young she-ape was unaware of Sarai's presence yet. After instructing Loki to remain quiet and keep distant until the gorillas were calm again, Sarai stepped forward to make herself known to Ayah and the rest of the apes. She crouched down, supporting her weight on her knuckles and feet before she started to speak to her adoptive sister-ape. {"Ayah! It is me, Zaika! The smaller he-two feet you hold is the son of my companion."} she explained to her before taking a few steps forward while the other apes started to catch on to what was happening. The tanned she-two feet with green eyes, long messy hair, in a two-piece loin cloth that moved like them yet looked like the Aesir...this was the 'Zaika' they knew, even after she had been missing from the tribe for more than half a decade at this point, {"...I missed you, big sister."} Sarai hooted to Ayah softly this time, hoping that the she-ape would remember her after her long absence.
As the large gorilla inched closer to Sarai, the clouds above them began to darken, and thunder boomed, warning the travelers there was no time to lose. Ayah screeched at the sound of the thunder but then calmed down when she noticed familiar features on Sarai's grown-up face. Hooting softly, she quickly snatched Sarai up from the ground. The soldiers raised their arms again, but Loki raised his hand to stop them. "No! She is not hurting her. We must not startle them any more than we have." The men lowered their armaments.
Ayah climbed to the top of a tree and raised Sarai as Hodari had once done when Zaika was small. {"Zaika has returned to us!"} Ayah cradles Sarai, hooting happily. As Ayah was paying attention to Sarai, Adari slowly climbed out of the nest and rushed to his father's side. Loki knelt and wrapped his arms around him.
"Adari! Adari, you must tell us where your sister, your cousins, and your friend are; their lives are in danger."
Overhearing Loki trying to get information out of his son, Sarai knew that she had to speak to her gorilla family to get some answers from them. If she could get her ape mother and ape father to cooperate, they would be able to tag along and assist her and Loki in finding the remaining four party members. Carefully letting herself out of Ayah's arms, Sarai crouched again on all fours like she did most of her life and raised her head & eyes directly to Hodari. {"Father, have you seen four other two-foot cubs?"} She hooted at him quietly with worry in her tone, {"They are in danger! They belong to my two feet kin! If you know anything, please either tell us or show us how! The two-feet cubs could be hurt..."}
Some of the soldiers behind Loki were more or less startled by how Sarai was way up there, communicating with her ape parents. One in particular thought she was just telling the leader of the group, Hodari, to kill everyone else except for her. His suspicions grew when he raised his weapon slightly upward as if aiming at one of the gorillas—but one of the younger ones noticed and rushed over, knocking the spear out of the soldier's hand with a snarl and intense grunt.
"Sir!" The guard, who wasn't thrilled about being in the jungle, growled at the gorilla.
"I told you to lower your artillery. When you did not, the gorilla made sure you did." Loki turned his head. Using his translation spell again, Loki apologizes to the gorilla who knocked the spear away, and as a show of good faith, he uses his magic to make the armaments less likely to harm anyone.
"But, sir!" The guard growled again.
"Enough! We are here to find my children and their companions, not to create problems between the gorillas and ourselves. We have found one, but my daughter, niece, nephew, and their friend are still out there somewhere, so we will not need weapons until we are in danger." The soldier shut himself up and backed away, nodding to the prince. "Adari," he turned to his son and knelt beside him. "Do you know where your sister is? Your cousins? Or your friend Ivar?"
Adari sadly looked in the direction of the mountains. "Before I found myself here, Father, I noticed that Astrith and Ragnvald were being chased to the place you say is inhospitable because of the cold." Little do the young royals know that the two were quite special. They had frost giant in their blood, which meant they could withstand the cold, but for how long?
Hodari grunted at his adopted daughter, patting his chest. {"Daughter, you bring these strangers here at risk of your family."} he was upset, but his mate hooted softly behind him.
{"But Hodari, there are little ones at risk. Tell her what Ayah told us."}
With an annoyed grunt, Hodari's nostrils flared slightly. {"Hm. The two feet you speak of were lost before Ayah could grab them. We think the leopards pushed them toward their territory."}
{"Then to the leopard territory, I shall go with the two feet! But these are not to be feared, Father. I have learned from them, and I know their intentions. They mean no harm to any of you or the tribe."} Sarai assured Hodari before looking to her mother, approaching her slowly and budding her head gently against the ape's shoulder, the gorilla's way of showing affection. {"Mother, I must go. Without the help of my two-feet kin, surely, I won't stand a chance against any leopard that may come try to fend me off. Those two-feet children are important to me...I think of them as my own, as you have with me."}
Imara pressed her head against Zaika's, hooting softly. {"Yes, I know, my daughter. I can sense it."} The female gorilla wrapped her arms around her asynjur daughter and pulled Sarai into a big hug. After she released Sarai, she turned to Hodari and huffed. Her nostrils flared as she asserted herself to him. {"We must help the small two-feets."}
Hodari pounded his fists against his chest, huffing at his mate. {"We must not intervene."}
Imara, the calm one, roared at her mate, pounded her chest, and huffed in his face. {"She is /our/ KIN. They are /her/ KIN. We must help."}
"I uh... I do not suppose the gorillas are unwilling to cooperate with us, Sarai...?" Loki asked softly.
While standing next to Loki and Adari, one of the other soldiers murmured, "At this rate, we will be stranded here, and the storm will strike through at any given moment."
BOOM!
TO BE CONTINUED...